"This step constitutes a very important and basic message that Israel has
to understand: We cannot take it anymore: the aggressive acts, the
excessive use of force and the use of force against Palestinian civilians in
their territories," Moussa said.
President Hosni Mubarak announced his decision to recall Ambassador
Mohamed Bassiouny from the Egyptian Embassy in Tel Aviv in response to
Monday night's attacks by Israelis on targets in Gaza. Israel said it was
acting in retaliation for the bombing of a bus carrying Israeli children.
Two adults died in the bus attacks.
About 250 people, mainly Palestinians, have been killed in eight weeks of
violence.
The foreign ministry in Cairo was quick to point out that it was not
closing its embassy or cutting ties with Israel. "There is a lot to hear
from him (Bassiouny)," Moussa said. But Egypt's top diplomat would not say
what Cairo's next step would be in its relations with Israel.
Egypt was the first Arab state to establish diplomatic relations with
Israel in 1979 as part of the land for peace formula. It has been at the
forefront of diplomat efforts to resolve Israel's continued dispute with the
Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese.
"Egypt's decision expresses its extreme displeasure with what is going on
in the occupied territories against the Palestinians," Moussa said. "It does
not augur well for the future of the peace process and the future of
relations in the Middle East. We stand behind a peace process which is just
and fair."
Moussa discounted Israel's claim that Egypt risks its ability to
participate in the peace proceedings by withdrawing its ambassador.
"The peace process has no tickets that Israel will issue for those who
want to participate," he said.
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